Semester(s) Offered: Spring
Credits: 4
Course Call Number: GAMES-UT 242, GAMES-GT 242
Prerequisite(s): None
Taught By: Alexander King
Games have an intrinsic relationship with almost every branch of mathematics. From the randomness described by probability theory to formal logic for puzzles, games of every type are built out of math. However, for many designers without a formal education in a quantitative discipline, these areas can be esoteric and difficult to relate to games at first glance. This can handicap a designer’s scope, or force them to rely on external help or tools. This course is designed to remedy that by providing a toolkit of mathematical concepts, with an emphasis on their direct applicability to game design and development. Students will gain a grounding in mathematical concepts useful in game development, with a focus on individual adaptation and implementation, not memorization. This course of study is designed to empower game designers with backgrounds in the arts or humanities with a core framework for understanding math concepts to apply in games of all types.
Upon completion of this course, the student will:
1) Foster an understanding of a variety of mathematical principles, and learn to recognize when a given concept can be applied.
2) Gain experience implementing concepts directly in code, and build a toolbox of functions to draw from in future work.
3) Explore core mathematical concepts and discover new applications for them.
4) Develop techniques for solving mathematical problems.
5) Become familiar with using a spreadsheets program to help solve problems.
6) Build experience programming mathematical concepts directly.